Cabinet sealing means



Aug. 22, 1944. w, D. RosslTER CABINET SEALINGMEANS Filed May 12, 1943awww/MH 1 l 15 a 5 a WILLIAM E @0551775.12

@U4/10% @ohm/M Patented Aug. r22, 1944 USNIIED." Y.S'FAIIES PATENT0-'FFlCE f Y 2,356,276 f CABE'rsEALING MEANs 4 William'DRossiter,Sandusky, Ohio Application May 12, 1943, serial No. 486,645

13 Claims:` (o1. 70-465) This .invention relates tozmeans for preventingthe doors of cabinets `and particularly thosek of reextinguisherenclosures, or the like, from beingV opened by unauthorized. persons.without detection. l

,Inl theuse Vof re extinguishers, ,considerable difficulty has beenencountered-and damage done by'A reason of saboteurs and othersrendering the` extinguishers useless for the purpose intended byremoving the chemicals contained therein andk sometimes substituting aninflammable vhuid such, for instance, kas gasoline therefor, orotherwise preventing' proper operation of the extinguisher.

The object ofnthis invention is the provision of simple and efficientmeans forl locking, or sealing aV cabinet in a manner to permit free andquick access to the interior thereof under emergency conditions andwhich will prevent` unauthorized opening ofthe cabinet without ready;

detectionvof such opening.

The invention is fully described inthe following. specication, and oneembodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in WhiQhFigure 1 is a perspective elevation of a cabinet for containing areextinguisher, with a part broken away and including the locking` meansof the invention;` Fig. 2 isha cross-section lon the line 2v`2 inFig. 1;Fig is an enlarged section on the linef3 -3 in Fig. 2; Fig. fl is asection similar to Fig. 2withthe sealing means vbroken and the doorpartly open, andFig. is an enlarged perspective view of a breakableplate constituting` apart of the sealingmeans.- I

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a conta'ier'or cabinet, 4 in thepresent instance, suitable for holding a vhre extinguisher' and` havinga hinged door 2" adapted to close a front opening. rIhis door, inthepresentinstance, is hinged for horizontal swinging' movements andisintended to be enga'gedat its free edge portion and secured in closedposition by a lock '3,1 the U-shaped shackle 4o-f which is adapted to'be engaged with an" edgep'or'tion ofthe" door through anl opening 5 inthe side or casingY portion of the container 'within which thefree'edgeof the door swings;

The portionof the'd'oorwith which the'sh'ackle 4 A'has lockingengagement `comprises a breakable sealing plate= 6; for instance of"glass, which isV mounted in an opening T-of notch formin'l the free edgeportion of-the door. The'wall'pf they openingV "l iis` providedtherearound fwith a' groove or recess S- 8 i that has r its endsYopening' at `the free1 edge of the door, so that the plate 6 may beremovablyv inserted therein from such edge. When the plate is properlymounted in the opening '1,v it substantially closes such opening, andhas its free edge disposed substantially flush with the free edge of thedoor, and an aperture 9 is provided in the plate near such edge toreceive the shackle 4 of the lock when one leg thereof has. beenpassedthrough the casing opening 5. It is thusY apparent .that the lockshackle when engaged with the plate 6 and casing, as shown in Figs. 1and 2, will prevent opening :of the door unless itheplateis broken topermit such openf lng.

For the purpose of breaking the seal plate 6- to permit-quick access tothe linterior of the container I, a striker member I2 is hinged at oneend to the outer side of the door 2, as at 1,3, and has its free orswinging end disposed at the outer side of the door opening 1 andprovided with one or more striker pins or lugs I4 at its inner side forengagement with the seal plate.` Itv is preferable to provide two pinsI4 disposed to, have .striking engagement with the plate 6 substantiallyin straddling relation to the shackle receiving aperture 9 therein, sothat an inward striking movement of the member I2 against the platewill'cause a breaking of the plate in a manner to release the sealingengagement of the i lock shackle therewith and permit an openingA ofthey door to render access to the contents of the cabinet.v The outwardswinging oi the striker member I2 relative to the door is limited by apin I5 at its inner end extending rearwardly beyond the hinge axisof themember in position to engage the door and .stop the outward swinging` ofthe member at a predetermined point.

A receptacle I6 is mounted on the rear side or the door 2 with at leasta portion cover ing the inner side of the opening l so that brokenpieces of the plate which fall inward from the plate, are received byand retained in this receptacle, asA shown in Fig. 4. The end of theAreceptacle I6, at the free edge portion of the door, is inclined linwardly away from such edge and provided with a notch I1 through whichthe' shackle of the lock may freely pass uponan opening or closing ofthe door. The `receptacle I6 is preferably removable and for this reasonis provided at its upper and i lower lfree edges with ribs I8 forengaging ,within door by simply sliding it into or out of such openingwithin the wall groove 8 thereof, and that the door when closed may besealed against unauthorized opening by merely inserting the shackle ofthe lock 3 through the aperture 9 in the plate 6 and through the opening5 in the door casing or side wall of the cabinet. When this has beendone the door can either be quickly released for opening by breaking theplate 6, which is accomplished by striking such plate with the lugs I4of the member I2, or by unlocking the lock 3 and removing its shacklefrom the engaged aperture. If, upon inspection, the plate 6 is found tobe broken, there is a possibility that the contents of the cabinet havebeen tampered with, which may be definitely determined by examination.When the broken plate 6 has been replaced by a new plate, the cabinetmay be again locked by engaging the shackle of the lock through theopeningsl in the plate and cabinet wall.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specificconstruction, arrangement or form of the parts, as it is capable ofnumerous modications and changes without departing from the spirit ofthe claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent, is:

l. In a device of the class described, a door member having a breakablesection forming an edge portion thereof with an opening thereinwithwhich-a lock shackle may be engaged to retain the door in closedposition, and striker means movably carried by the door and operable tostrike the section to effect a breaking thereof.

2. In a device of the class described, a swingable door having anopening extending inwardly from the free edge portion thereof, abreakable plate removably mounted in said opening, being insertabletherein inwardly from the open edge of the door and having an aperturefor receiving a lock shackle to normally retain the door in closedposition, and a striker member movably carried by the door and having apart movableinto engagement with the plate to eifect a breaking thereofto release the shackle.

3. In combination, a cabinet forming a door casing, a door hingedlymounted in said casing and having a fragile breakable section removablyand replaceably mounted in the door in exposed relation to its swingingedge, said section and casing having adjacent shackle receiving openingstherein, and a lock having a U-shaped shackle for locking engagementthrough said openings.

4. In combination, a cabinet forming a door casing, a door hingedlymounted in said casing andhaving a breakable section removably andreplaceably mounted in the door in exposed relation to its swingingedge, said section and casing having adjacent lock shackle receivingopenings therein, a lock having a shackle for locking engagernentthrough said openings, and a striker member hinged to the outer side ofsaid door and operable when swung inward to have striking and breakingengagement with said plate to release the engagement of the lock shackletherewith and permitting an opening of the door.

5. In combination, a cabinet forming adoor casing, a door hingedlymounted in said casing and having an opening therein extending inwardlytoward its hinge edge from its swinging edge, a breakable plate mountedin said opening and removable therefrom and replaceable therein throughthe free edge portion of the door when the door is in open position,said plate and casing having adjacent openings for receiving a lockshackle, a lock having a shackle releasably engageable with said plateand casing through the openings therein to retain the door in closedposition, and means mounted on the door and adapted to have strikingengagement with the plate to effect a breaking thereof and a release ofits engagement with the lock shackle.

6. The combination with a cabinet forming a door casing, and a doorhingedly mounted in said casing and having an opening at its swingingedge portion, a breakable plate mounted in said opening and replaceabletherein through the free edge portion of the door when in open position.said plate and casing having adjacent openings for receiving a lockshackle to retain the door in closed position, and a receptacle carriedby the inner side of the door adjacent to said opening for receivingfragments of the plate when broken.

7. The combination with a cabinet forming a door casing and a doorhingedly mounted in said casing and having an opening at its swingingedge portion, a breakable plate mounted in said opening and replaceabletherein through the free edge portion of the door when in open position,said plate and casing having adjacent openings for receiving a lockshackle to retain the door in closed position, a receptacle removablycarried by the door at its inner side in covering relation to saidopening for catching fragments of the plate when broken.

8. A combination as called for in claim 6, together with striker meanshingedly carried by the door at its outer side and operable to strikeand break said plate. Y

9. The combination with a cabinet forming a door casing and a doorhingedly mounted in said casing and having an opening at its swingingedge'portion, a breakable plate mounted in said opening and replaceabletherein through the free edge portion of the door when in open position,said plate and casing havingI adjacent openings for receiving a lockshackle to retain the door in closed position, and a striker memberhingedly carried by the'door at its outer side and operable to strikeand break said plate, the plate contacting portion of said membercomprising spaced lugs engageable with said plate adjacent to and aboveand below its shackle receiving opening.

10. A combination as called for in claim '7, together with striker meanshingedly carried by the door at its outer side and operable to strikeand break said plate.

ll. The combination with a cabinet having an opening to its interior anda movable closure for said opening, of a lock attached to one of saidcabinet and closure and a cooperating locking part attached to the otherwhereby when said lock and part are engaged the closure is retained inclosed position, one of saidpart and the cooperating portion of the lockbeing of fragile breakable material whereby it will be broken by a blow'thereagainst and permit an opening of the closure.

j 12. The combination with a cabinet having an opening to its interiorand a movable closure for said opening, of a replaceable plate offragile breakable material attached to an edge portion of one of saidcabinet and closure, and a lock attached to the other of said cabinetand closure and operable to have locking engagement with the plate toretain the closure in closed position,

Without the cabinet to effect a release of the locking engagement of thelock and closure.

13. The combination with a cabinet having an opening to its interior anda movable closure for said opening, of a replaceable plate of fragilebreakable material attached to an edge portion of one of said cabinetand closure, and a. lock attached to the other of said cabinet andclosure and operable to have locking engagement with the plate to retainthe closure in closed position, anda striker means movably carried byone of said cabinet and closure and operable to strike the plate toeffect a breaking thereof.

WILLIAM D. ROSSITER.

